Observation system, observation program, and observation method

Abstract

An observation system includes a microscope optical system, an image pickup unit, an image pickup control unit, a detection unit, and an observation control unit. The image pickup unit is configured to take an image of a field-of-view range of the microscope optical system. The image pickup control unit is configured to cause the image pickup unit to take images of an observation sample in the field-of-view range at a plurality of focal positions and generate detection images. The detection unit is configured to detect a three-dimensional position of an observation target object in the observation sample from the detection images. The observation control unit is configured to fit the field-of-view range of the microscope optical system to the three-dimensional position.

The invention is claimed as follows: 
     
       1. A time-lapse cell imaging system comprising: a circuitry configured to
 cause an image sensor to take a first image of a well plate at a first plurality of focal positions in a first field-of-view range of a microscope optical system at a first magnification; 
 compare the first field-of-view range to the well of a plurality of wells provided in the well plate; 
 set a field-of-view range of the microscope optical system to a second field-of-view range if the first field-of-view range is smaller than the well of a plurality of wells, and take the first image of the well plate at a second plurality of focal positions in the second field-of-view range of the microscope optical system at the first magnification; 
 detect, based on the first image, a three-dimensional position of a cell stored within the well; 
 set a magnification of the microscope optical system to a second magnification higher than the first magnification; 
 set a field-of-view range of the microscope optical system to a third field-of-view range with a center corresponding to the detected three-dimensional position of the cell; and 
 cause the image sensor to perform a time-lapse cell imaging for taking second images of the cell at the second magnification. 
 
     
     
       2. The time-lapse cell imaging system of  claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is configured to register the well, from which the cell is detected, as an observation target well along with the three-dimensional position of the cell. 
     
     
       3. The time-lapse cell imaging system of  claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is configured to exclude the well, from which the cell is not detected, from an observation target well. 
     
     
       4. The time-lapse cell imaging system of  claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is configured to detect the cell by using pattern matching or outline extraction. 
     
     
       5. The time-lapse cell imaging system of  claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is configured to identify the well plate based on an identifier of the well plate. 
     
     
       6. The time-lapse cell imaging system of  claim 5 , wherein the circuitry is configured to check the identifier of the well plate against a historical identifier of a historical well plate which has been previously observed and read out previous observation data of the well corresponding to the historical identifier. 
     
     
       7. The time-lapse cell imaging system of  claim 1 , further comprising the microscope optical system and the image sensor. 
     
     
       8. The time-lapse cell imaging system of  claim 1 , further comprising an incubator for storing the well plate and cultivating the cell. 
     
     
       9. The time-lapse cell imaging system of  claim 1 , further comprising an ultraviolet, visible, and infrared light dispersion unit configured to disperse one of ultraviolet light, visible light, and infrared light incident from the microscope optical system, wherein the circuitry causes the ultraviolet, visible, and infrared light dispersion unit to scan the field-of-view range of the microscope optical system. 
     
     
       10. The time-lapse cell imaging system of  claim 1 , further comprising a Raman scattering dispersion unit configured to disperse Raman scattering light incident from the microscope optical system, wherein the circuitry causes the Raman scattering dispersion unit to scan the field-of-view range of the microscope optical system. 
     
     
       11. A method of time-lapse cell imaging, the method comprising:
 taking a first image of a well plate at a first plurality of focal positions in a first field-of-view range of a microscope optical system at a first magnification; 
 comparing the first field-of-view range to the well of a plurality of wells provided in the well plate; 
 setting a field-of-view range of the microscope optical system to a second field-of-view range if the first field-of-view range is smaller than the well of a plurality of wells, and taking the first image of the well plate at a second plurality of focal positions in the second field-of-view range of the microscope optical system at the first magnification; 
 detecting, based on the first image, a three-dimensional position of a cell stored within the well; 
 setting a magnification of the microscope optical system to a second magnification higher than the first magnification; 
 setting a field-of-view range of the microscope optical system to a third field-of-view range with a center corresponding to the detected three-dimensional position of the cell; and 
 performing a time-lapse cell imaging for taking second images of the cell at the second magnification. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising registering the well, from which the cell is detected, as an observation target well along with the three-dimensional position of the cell. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising excluding the well, from which the cell is not detected, from an observation target well. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising detecting the cell by using pattern matching or outline extraction. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising identifying the well plate based on an identifier of the well plate. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15 , further comprising checking the identifier of the well plate against a historical identifier of a historical well plate which has been previously observed and reading out previous observation data of the well corresponding to the historical identifier. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising storing the well plate and cultivating the cell. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising dispersing one of ultraviolet light, visible light, infrared light, and Raman scattering light to scan the field-of-view range of the microscope optical system.